Indicator and advertiser.



PATENTED JULY 18, 1905.

v No. 794,950.

G; II. TDWNSDND.

INDICATOR AND ADVERTISER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 12, 1904.

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W/ TNESSES, @175.5 mgm ybottom of the case.

UNITED STATES Patented {'uly 18, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

INDICATOR AND ADVERTISER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters :Patent No. 794,950, dated July 18, 1905.

Application filed September 12,1904. Serial No. 224,129.

To all whom, tuta/y 001110674715' Be it known that I, CHARLES H. TowNsEND, a citizen of the United States, residing at Berkeley, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Indicators and Advertisers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a device comprising endless movable belts and a mechanism by which said belts are driven at different rates of speed.

It consists in combination of parts and details of construction, which will be more fully explained by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which-F Figure 1 is a front view of my invention with front partly broken away, showing operating mechanism. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of same with side partly broken away, showing operating mechanism. Fig. 3 is a section of belt and elastic connection.

My invention is designed to provide a movable indicator with figures or characters which are successively presented for inspection and in conjunction therewith a second movable belt adapted to carry advertising or other matter and which is moved in unison with the indicating-belt. In conjunction with this is an alarm whenever the indicator is moved to call attention thereto.

The device is especially useful in barbers shops or other places where a line of customers may be waiting to indicate the next in turn.

As herewith shown, A is a case of any suitable or desired size sufficient to contain the required mechanism. It is here shown with two vertically-disposed partitions 2 3 intermediate of the sides, and in the widest space formed by these partitions an endless traveling belt 3 is fitted to and movable over drums or rollers 4, journaled near the top and Between the partitions 2 and 3 another belt 5 is fitted to drums or rollers 6 7, journaled at top and bottom, respectively, and in such relation with the belt 3 as to present its face in the same direction. The front of the case 8 has-a large opening 9, through which a portion of the belt 3 is exposed, and a` smaller opening 10, through which a portion of the belt 5 is exposed. The belt 5 carries figures or characters, as from 1 upward, the number depending upon the size of the figures and the length of the belt, and these figures or characters are moved by mechanism to be hereinafterdescribed so that each figure is exposed successively and visible through the opening 10.

The rear of the case may consist of a hinged or otherwise removable back, and the side of the case contiguous to the nearest vertical partition 2 may be removable, so as to expose the machinery which is carried between this side and the partition.

The use of the apparatus may be well illustrated iny conjunction with a barbers shop, where it often occurs that a great number of people may be waiting their turn. In such cases each person is given a ticket when he enters the place, the ticket having a number indicating his arrival with relation to those who have preceded him. Whenever a chair is empty, the operator at that chair will, through mechanism hereinafter described, move the endless belt and expose another figure. The person having the card or ticket bearing the same number will then take his place. Thus confusion willbe prevented. Attention is called to this movement and exposure of a new figure by means of a bell or sounder of any description, which will attract the attention of the waiting people to the apparatus.

The belt 3 may carry advertising or other desired matter which, being exposed simultaneously with the exposure of a ligure and being changed at each change of iigures, will also be noticed by those who are present and whose attention has been attracted to the machine by the bell.

Various devices may be employed to operate the mechanism. As herein shown, the shaft of the lower drum 7 carries upon its end a gear-wheel, as at 11. This gear-wheel engages another wheel 12, and upon the same shaft with the gear-wheel 12 is a ratchet-.wheel 13. Fixed to this ratchet-wheel is a lever-arm 14. Spring-pressed pawls 15 are pivoted upon a plate carried by the wheel 12. The wheel 13 is loosely turnable with relation to the wheel 12, and it will be manifest that when the lever 14 is moved in one direction the pawls will be engaged by the teeth of the wheel 13, and motion will thus be communicated to the wheel 12 and from it to the wheel 11 and the shaft of the drum 7, thereby communicating motion to the belt 5. A spring 16 is connected with the lever 14, and when the latter is released the spring returns it to its normal position, the wheel 13 moving freely with relation to the engaging pawls, thus leaving the belt standing at the p'oint to which it has been advanced.

In order to prevent the belt from moving too far by momentum when the lever is moved rapidly, I have shown a latch 17, carried by the lever 14 or some part connected therewith, and this latch engages the teeth of one of the moving wheels, as 11, at the end of the advance movement of the lever, thus stopping the wheel and connected parts as soon as the movement is completed.

In order to operate the drum 4 and the belt 3, I have shown a pinion 18, mounted upon a shaft 19, which shaft engages and drives the drum 4. The pinion 18 engages with the gear-wheel 12,` and the pinion is suiiiciently smaller than the gear-wheel to impart a greater amplitude of movement to the belt 3a than is imparted to the belt 5. The object of this is to expose a section of the belt 3a sufcient to substantially lill the opening 9, through which it is visible, so that the advertising or other matter printed thereon may be inscribed in sufficiently large characters to be easily visible, and as the belt 5 is only required to move each time a distance suflicient to bring a succeeding ligure into position it is necessary to gear up the driving mechanism of the larger belt 3 with suflicient rapidity to bring a new advertisement into View.

The mechanism herein described is so connected with the line of chairs if used in abarbers shop or with other points when used for other purposes that it can be actuated by any of the operators along the line.

In the present case I have shown the lever 14 having knee-levers 20 21 connected with it. The lever 21 is fixed upon a shaft 22, and this is here shown as carrying a lever 23, which projects so as to be conveniently operated to advance the mechanism. rlhis lever may be connected with a shaft extending along the line, so that each operator whatever his distance from the machine may by a movement of the lever at his station operate the mechanism. An equivalent means will be by the use of cords, as at 25 25', said cord 25 leading over a suitable direction pulley p to and around a pulley q, and thence returned upon itself and-over a pulley r, Fig. 2, and down into the case and beneath a' pulley s, and thence to 'the lever 14. The other cord 25 from the opy operator located-at eitherl side of the machine may by pulling the cord passing his station actuate the lever 14 and move the indicator.

The bell or sounder 26 may be of any usual or suitable form, and the handle 27 of the hammer is pivoted so that its end may be engaged by pins, as 28, carried upon the wheel 12. Thus when the wheel is turned to advance the belt one number the hammer will be retracted and released when the advance is complete, and by means of a spring it will be forcibly driven against the bell, thus calling attention to the change in numbers which has been made.

In order to conveniently remove the belts from the drums, I introduce into the length of each belt an elastic section, as 30. and the shaft of the upper drum 6 of the indicatorbelt and the shaft of the upper drum 4 of the larger belt are journaled in open boxes, as shown at 31, so that the shaft normally turns in the vertical Vportion of the slot; but by lifting the shaft, the elastic portion of the belt yielding for this purpose, the shaft may be withdrawn through the horizontal open portion of the slot and any desired change in the belt may be made.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent. is-

1. In an indicating and exhibiting device, the combination of endless traveling belts, and drums over which they pass, one of said belts having indicia arranged in successive order and the other belt having words or characters to be exhibited, a unitary mechanism including a gear-wheel and gears of different diameters on the axes of the drums and in direct engagement with the first-named gear-wheel whereby one of the belts is advanced more rapidly than the other, and means for operat ing the gears said means including a rockshaft, a lever on the axis of the iirst-named gear-wheel, a lever on the rock-shaft, jointed connections between the levers and actuating devices between the first-named lever and said first-named gear.

2. In a combined indicating and exhibiting device, the combination of a plurality of endless belts and drums around which said belts pass, a case within which the drums and belts are mounted said case having sight-openings and one of the belts having characters arranged thereon iny successive order and the other belt having advertising subject-matter, means whereby the belts are simultaneously moved at different rates of speed said mechanism including gears of different diameters fixed to thedrums, a gear-wheel engaging the drum-gears, a rock-shaft, a lever connected to lOO IIO

one of the gears, and knee-levers between said lever and rock-shaft.

3. In a combined indicating and exhibiting device the combination of a case having sightopenings and a plurality of movable indicators within the case and bearing unrelated subjectmatter, one of said indicators having its subject-matter in the Jform of characters arranged in successive order, means whereby the belts may be intermittently moved in unison and at different rates of speed, and connections including a rock-shaft and knee-levers between the same and said means whereby the latter may be operated from independentand remote points.

4. In a combined indicating and advertising device, a plurality of endless belts, drums around which said belts pass, a train of gearing having independent connections with the drums whereby said drums are rotated at different rates of speed, pawl-and-ratchet and lever mechanism, and a stop carried by a movable member of the lever mechanism and adapted to engage a member of the gearing whereby the lbelts are advanced a stated distance at each movement of the lever.

5. In an indicating and advertising device, a plurality of belts, drums around which said belts pass, a train of gearing with independent connections with the drums of each belt, a pawl and ratchet for operating the gearing, a lever mechanism including a'rock-shaft, a lever on the axis of the ratchet and knee-levers between the last-named lever and the rock-shaft, by which the ratchet is intermittently actuated, and a latch carried by one of the knee-levers and engaginga member of the gearing' at the termination of the advance movement.

6. The combination in an indicating and advertising device of a plurality of endless belts, independent drums around which said belts are disposed, a train of gearing and connections by which the belts are advanced at different rates of speed, a pawl and ratchet, lever mechanism to actuate the ratchet, said mechanism including a lever on the axis of the ratchet, a rock-shaft and knee-levers between the shaft and first-named lever, a bell and a spring-pressed hammer and pins carried by a member of the said train of gearing whereby the hammer is raised and released with each advance of the belts.

7. In an indicating and advertising device, a plurality of belts, independent drums around which said belts pass, mechanism by which the belts are advanced and a front through which the characters of each are exposed, means for removing belts and drums, said means comprising slotted bearings in which the shafts of the drums are turnable and elastic sections in the belts whereby said belts may be extended to allow the drum-shafts to be lifted from their bearings.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES H. TowNsEND.

Witnesses t HENRY P. TRIooU, S. H. NoURsE. 

